Fremont, CA Accessory Structures: Shed & Carport Rules (2026)

Fremont Municipal Code Chapter 18.153 governs sheds, workshops, gazebos and other detached accessory structures that are not used for dwelling purposes. Section 18.153.020(b) caps the height of any detached accessory structure at 12 feet. Section 18.153.040(a) sets the baseline standards: lot coverage of the structure cannot exceed 30 percent of the required rear or side yard area where it sits (swimming pools are excluded from that math), the structure needs at least six feet of separation from any other building on the lot, and its exterior wall must sit back five feet from the property line. On reverse corner lots, structures within 25 feet of the common property line cannot come closer to the side street line than the adjoining lot's required front yard.

Section 18.153.040(b) carves out a practical exception for small sheds: a detached accessory structure is exempt from the setback and separation standards above if it meets six conditions at once: it stays within the 30 percent lot coverage cap, its gross floor area does not exceed 120 square feet, its overall height does not exceed six feet six inches, it has no electrical or plumbing utilities, its roof sheds water at least one foot from the property line or into an approved drainage system, and it is not placed in the front yard or a street-facing side yard. A separate exception in Section 18.153.040(a)(2)(B) lets a structure of 120 square feet or less sit any distance from other structures if it is outside a required side yard and does not block egress, light or ventilation. Structures attached to the main building instead fall under Section 18.153.030 and must meet every standard that applies to the main building itself. Nonresidential projects and historic sites are carved out of this section entirely and instead follow applicable building code requirements.